Olympic Athlete and Other Eritreans Freed After 18 Years Without Trial, Relatives Say

A group of thirteen people held for more than 18 years without being formally charged in Eritrea have been freed from a infamous military detention facility, according to relatives of the detainees.

Among those freed were a number of well-known individuals, such as 69-year-old Olympic athlete and businessman Zeragaber Gebrehiwot.

They had been held at Mai Serwa prison, known for its severe environment and where many detainees are believed to be political prisoners.

Details of the Arrest

An unnamed source who was once detained in Mai Serwa stated the prisoners were taken into custody in October 2007 following an assassination attempt on a high-ranking internal security officer in the government.

Around 30 people were originally arrested, according to the source. Some have been released in the intervening period, but about 20 remained in custody.

The Story of an Olympian

Zeragaber competed in the Moscow Games in 1980 when Eritrea was part of Ethiopia.

The nation in the Horn of Africa, which gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, possesses a deep-rooted tradition of cycling and its riders have steadily gained global acclaim over the past decade.

List of Freed

Those released with Zeragaber comprise notable entrepreneurs Tesfalem Mengsteab and Bekure Mebrahtu as well as the Habtemariam brothers - David, an engineer, and Matthews, a surveyor.

Six senior police officers and an state security officer were released as well.

The Eritrean government has not issued any statement concerning the releases of the detainees.

A significant number of the former detainees are sick and this may be the reason why they have been freed now.

Relatives were not allowed to see the prisoners during their incarceration, the relatives reported.

International Condemnation and Prison Conditions

United Nations bodies and human rights groups have long accused the Eritrean government of serious abuses, encompassing torture, forced disappearance and the detention of many thousands of people in inhumane conditions.

Mai Serwa prison, located about 9km north-west of the capital city, Asmara, has grown over the years to include 20 metal shipping containers in which prisoners are held incommunicado, sources have indicated.

Context of Government Rule

Over the last three decades, Eritrea has remained a single-party nation with no functioning constitution. It is one of the most militarised societies, with compulsory national service of unlimited duration.

There has been an absence of independent media since the closure of private publications and arrest of most of their staff in 2001.

This occurred after the government arrested 15 politicians referred to as the G-15, along with 16 journalists, after they called for that the president implement the draft constitution and hold open elections.

Per advocacy organizations, the status and location of 11 of the politicians, as well as the journalists accused of links to the G-15, are still unconfirmed.

Now 79 years old, the leader marked 32 years in power and has still never faced an election.